Kevin Bieksa knows the 300-page proposal the league has presented in its latest attempt to strike a CBA will require time to digest and some patience before crafting a response to maintain hope of salvaging the season. (Getty Images via National Hockey League).

VANCOUVER — No sooner did a trio of Vancouver Canucks respond Friday to leaked details of the NHL’s latest collective bargaining agreement proposal than the union advised its members to zip their lips. A conference call to review the league’s 300-page document and a crafted response from NHL Players’ Association executive director Donald Fehr would come first. Then a counter-proposal. Any necessary venom would be spewed later.

However, by not initially taking the league to task on only moving contract lengths from five to six years, adjusting contract variance from five to 10 per cent and insisting that one contract buyout next summer that won’t count agains the salary cap will allow teams to comply to a $60 million US ceiling, the union is biting its lip to not further stall the stagnant process. After all, if a CBA is struck by Jan. 5, camps would open Jan. 12 and a 48-game schedule would commence Jan. 19.

Still, the responses were understandably measured and reserved when word spread of the league’s offer.

“Actually, I had no reaction,” said defenceman Kevin Bieksa. “It’s been so long in going through the ups and downs and I haven’t looked at the proposal in depth yet, so I can’t comment until we digest the numbers. Let’s not try to get too high, but at the same time, it’s good we’re talking again.

“These are the final minutes. If there were no talks leading up to these (next) three weeks, it would be a pretty pathetic effort by both sides and I think the public would realize that. We have to put all the cards on the table now and show our best hands and get this thing figured out.”

Not that it’s going to be easy. Not when clubs can operate at a $70.2 million cap ceiling this season and then chop it by $10 million in 2013-14. The Canucks have 13 players signed for $55.4 million next season and one buyout isn’t going to ease the burden of icing a competitive team. Not with Alex Edler looking for a rich contract extension and not with cheaper players coming back in a Roberto Luongo trade. With 10 contracts expiring after this season, the Canucks obviously back the union pushing for a $67 million ceiling.

The league still wants a 10-year CBA length with a opt-out clause after eight and the players are pushing for an eight-year agreement with an out after six years. The $300 million make-whole provision to protect most of the contracts in place — and to help fund the pension plan — is in play while the entry-level system, arbitration and unrestricted free agency remain intact. The players can’t comment, but the length of contracts and the percentage of variance and the cap ceiling will probably prompt a response in their counter-proposal. And that’s something to talk about, even in broad terms when the offer was presented.

“It was definitely a positive feeling,” said centre Manny Malhotra, who’s part of the 31-player negotiating committee. “We felt we’ve been the ones coming to the table and addressing their issues and taking into consideration what they say is important. It hasn’t been reciprocated, but for them to come to the table with a proposal is positive. We’re going to analyze it as much as possible before we deem how much of a move has been made.

“We’re not about to be pressured into a situation and we’re not trying to bully people. It’s getting a fair deal that both parties can live with.”

Last week, the NHLPA showed solidarity with 706 of 729 players voting in favour of giving the executive board the right to dissolve the union. It would allow individual players to file anti-trust suits and be paid triple their lost salaries in damages if successful in a court proceeding. The NHLPA has until Jan. 2 to file the disclaimer. It can be filed again but another vote would have to be taken. Canucks captain Henrik Sedin is hopeful it doesn’t get to that point and took the high road despite the little he had heard about the latest league proposal.

“It’s better than sitting around eating turkey and ham,” joked the centre. “I haven’t seen anything, but if they’ve moved that’s a good sign. This is make-or-break. We know if nothing gets done, the season is going to be cancelled and there’s a lot of pressure on both sides. But that’s what you need to get a deal done.

“We want to play. We want to get a deal done. If they’re prepared to sit down and talk about the issues, then that’s a great sign.”

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